New guidance to limit phone use in NI schools

Schools in Northern Ireland are being advised to limit pupils’ use of mobile phones during the school day.

Education Minister Paul Givan issued new guidance on Tuesday, which also applies to restricting use during breaks and lunch.

He said there was evidence that phones were “interfering with children’s learning”.

The restrictions “can have a positive impact on academic achievement and engagement”, he said.

Mr Givan also said the guidance would allow teachers to “do what they do best – teach”.

In a statement, her department acknowledged many schools already have cell phone policies.

New guidance to ensure a more consistent approach, continued.

In most cases, students may bring their phones to school, but they must not be visible during the school day.

This means that students cannot take them out during class unless they are part of the lesson, or used during breaks or lunchtimes.

In some cases, if a student is caught using a phone, it is confiscated, and the student can collect it at the end of the school day.

“Many countries around the world are increasingly moving to stop the use of phones in schools,” Mr Givan said.

“The new guidance will ensure schools in Northern Ireland are aware of the latest evidence and have practical advice on different approaches to limiting phone use.”

The guidance is accompanied by a pilot of a phone-free solution, the department announced, to prevent students from using their phones during the school day.

This includes inviting expressions of interest from schools to use a pocket-sized pouch that will be placed on the phone.

It will be closed using a magnetic clasp.

“Changes in the way phones are used in schools can make a world of difference in the classroom,” said Minister Givan.

“Limited use during the school day allows children to concentrate, participate and learn, and enjoy recess and lunch so they can play, have fun, participate in sports and socialize with friends.”

Kerry, sixth form at Bangor Academy in County Down, said the rules were “quite relaxed”.

“We are allowed to get out our phones during recess and lunch and call our friends during recess and lunch, and then during class we have to put them away,” he said.

Kerry points out that phones can be useful for schoolwork.

“We can take them out on errands or research assignments.”

Luke, who also attends Bangor Academy, said he was “a bit distracted” by the phone call.

“I’ve always found that in class when I go into Google Classroom, you might get a notification,” he said.

He thinks using the phone at school is a “hard temptation to resist”.

“I feel like there are some restrictions, but giving students a choice is always nice.”

Luke also points out that limiting phone use can help students talk more.

“Sometimes even if you go into the cafeteria, you see people just sitting on their cell phones, not communicating or socializing.”

Fletcher, who is also sixth, said he uses his phone during recess and lunch.

“I’ll use the phone to find friends or contact family or just check the general time to see if you’re late for class,” he said.

“If I’m doing something that I really enjoy or that’s really interesting, I’m not thinking about my phone,” he said.

Fletcher also thinks the new ban could make students want to use their phones more than ever.

“Banning your phone directly may tempt some students to look more.”

Samantha, who also attends Bangor Academy, said: “I use my phone quite a lot – just texting, checking things on Instagram.”

“I would say it’s limited to being in the classroom.

“When we leave the classroom, say during lunch and recess, we are allowed to use it freely.”

Governments in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland dissolved advised schools to ban phones during the day.

In the Republic of Ireland, Education Minister Norma Foley said she wanted to create a “culture of no cell phone acceptance” in schools.

Members of parliament in the UK have previously said The government should consider proposals to ban Smartphones for under-16s.

Unesco, the UN’s education and science body, has also suggested that smartphones should be banned in schools to deal with classroom distractions and improve learning.

“Even just having a cell phone near the incoming news is enough to cause students to lose attention from the task at hand,” Unesco said.

Previous guidance for schools on mobile devices from the Department for Education (DE) in Northern Ireland is eight years old.

It mainly focuses on the use of mobile phones for education.